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[dipsylalapo]

How does MS do it then?

I'm guessing the easiest way to solve this is for you to have 2 usernames and that I'd be up to the user to only show the new one to others/friends.

Sony's always gotta make shit so complicated.


lol

So its IkeDontKickTheGoddamnBabyXxX?

My comment was regarding the purging of old accounts. Does MS do that? I didn't think they did.

 

[SLoWMoTIoN]

This makes me curious as to what possible errors and issues this can result in.
There are better and more consumer friendly methods to achieve abuse prevention. Look at Ubisoft/Uplay and Epic who both implement a cooldown period after a name change before you can request another name change. Putting a fee on top of it (I'm amazed that they made it a PS+ perk) is nothing more than a simple way to make money off of it.

You can freely change it back for the beta month. (November)

I'd just do a change and play all the games I currently own and see if they are affected. I'm guessing my Vita/Ps3 games are gonna get fucked.

My comment was regarding the purging of old accounts. Does MS do that? I didn't think they did.

When you change your account name on the Xbox systems everything is still yours with no issues whatsoever.

 

[dipsylalapo]

You can freely change it back for the beta month. (November)

I'd just do a change and play all the games I currently own and see if they are affected. I'm guessing my Vita/Ps3 games are gonna get fucked.


When you change your account name on the Xbox systems everything is still yours with no issues whatsoever.

Yeah I get that....go back through the thread.

bellome asked if you can purge old usernames, and I'm saying it's difficult because you could then have digital content that's orphaned. I don't think Sony or MS do/allow this.

 

[VectorVictor]

where are you getting $20 from? it's free the first time you change it then it is $10

Free the first time? I've been on XBL since day one and it wouldn't let me change my gamertag without a fee. Hadn't ever changed it prior.

 

[VectorVictor]

Yeah I get that....go back through the thread.

bellome asked if you can purge old usernames, and I'm saying it's difficult because you could then have digital content that's orphaned. I don't think Sony or MS do/allow this.

Microsoft has been purging old XBL gamertags for some time now. Don't know if they are purging any with digital content attached, but they have purged before and continue to do so.

 

[Caayn]

Free the first time? I've been on XBL since day one and it wouldn't let me change my gamertag without a fee. Hadn't ever changed it prior.

They changed it up a bit around the launch of the XB1 (iirc) might've been earlier. Anyway, this is their current policy:

Note If your gamertag was created for you when you initially signed up for Xbox (meaning you did not choose it yourself), you can change it one time for free. Additional Xbox gamertag changes cost extra. If you created your own gamertag at signup and want to change it, you will be charged (fee varies by region and currency).

Microsoft has been purging old XBL gamertags for some time now. Don't know if they are purging any with digital content attached, but they have purged before and continue to do so.

They only remove the usernames. Once they sign back in they should get a new username assigned to that account.

 

[Blam]

That could go back as far as pre PS3 launch when PSN was being built, and this could be a decision of one single engineer/analyst who screwed it up.

And that guy could have fixed it then too.

Yup definitely sounds that way. I'm guessing our current ids are littered all over instead of nice cheap GUIDs. I'm guessing they've implemented a linked table of sorts to map the old id to a new id. Then you can display both, as well as old games being incompatible as they don't know about this table. Although surely an API update that retrieves the logged in user details could just grab the new id if one exists if that was the case, with the games calling that when needing the details. Sounds like a complete clusterfuck of db and/or api design if I'm honest if it's taken this long and is only compatible with certain games from prior to the cutoff.

I mean doing this wouldn't be as hard as they made it out to be you'd need to do a lot of work to setup the rest of the UI but adding a new column with a generated GUID when you signin, and then once you do that you swap the identifiers to use the GUID, instead of the username.

But this way they mention it is beyond fucking retarded because there's still no GUID and that's just your damn old username, that's because they still don't know what they are doing.

maybe Prince of network engineers. Nintendo reigns as King. hah!

Nah ninty lets me change my name on the fucking fly for free so they still rain better then PSN.

 

[VectorVictor]

Thanks Caayn. So Microsoft is able to free up gamertags *and* keep a users digital content/licenses stored. Cool.

 

[Mochilador]

Like Wolverine would say, "The world is not the same as it was".

 

[xviper]

that's good but what matters more is the region free downloadable content

 

[Nitty_Grimes]

Wouldn't mind being on that first list of testers.

 

[Breakage]

The thing is won't all the original tags ie those with no numbers be taken by now? I was fortunate enough to secure the same original tag on both Live and PSN when I registered in the early days. I just don't see how in 2018, you'd be able to secure a good tag without resorting to l33t speak or XXs.

 

[yet_another_alt]

What if someone wants to rename an account but the name is already taken but it just so happens that that person also owns the account whose name they want. Asking for a friend.

 

[Toe-Knee]

What if someone wants to rename an account but the name is already taken but it just so happens that that person also owns the account whose name they want. Asking for a friend.

Well I deleted an old account a year or so ago but that name is still unavailable.

So I imagine you chose a different one

 

[A.Romero]

I'm glad they are finally tackling that but I fear it's going to be a mess.

What I'm really hoping is that they allow region changing soon.

 

[Frank Spencer]

So if I change my ID will my PS Plus account still work? Will my Rockstar social club account for GTAO as well?

 

[Venuspower]

So if I change my ID will my PS Plus account still work? Will my Rockstar social club account for GTAO as well?

PS+ should still work just fine.
In terms of GTA Online.... no one knows yet. It has been released before 1st April 2018. Thats why it coult be possible that this game has issues. On the other hand it is a really big and popular title. Thats why I think they will fix issues if there are.
Other than that we have to wait and see.

 

[Frank Spencer]

K.

 

[Fox Mulder]

Confirms that PSN was a fucking mess with all these conditions. Also points to them likely not clearing out old names as an old ID is still your fixed ID on the database with games now displaying a new ID that can be changed.

 

[michaelius]

As someone who learned at least basic in SQL I'd love to hear what kind of mess was there that prevented it from happening for all those years.

 

[Spukc]

hello sticky_sock96

 

[Mobile Suit Gooch]

Heh. I can now go from Amazingbdg9197 to Gooch The stamped or Destroyer, whatever. lol

 

[EverydayBeast]

Good for clans, I know I rolled with a few squads in Confrontation who had separate accounts for different MLG teams. This should be more convenient.

 

[autoduelist]

Now you know how fucked up the PSN system is, when you maybe can't play a game anymore after a name change^^
Still good they give the option, to do it.

I really don't think that's what they're saying. It's quite possible many old games may do things that cannot figure out workarounds for. For example, the two most obvious might be leaderboards and matchmaking. Perhaps some of these old games have code that break under the new system. But these aren't Sony's games, not to mention they're long ago printed to plastic. Basically, Sony's just saying that name changes may break older games and they're doing their best to ensure as many work as possible.

Legacy systems are a nightmare, period. Any massive change like this to an ecosystem as large, as old, and as wide spread as PSN would be difficult.

 

[Texas Pride]

Thanks Caayn. So Microsoft is able to free up gamertags *and* keep a users digital content/licenses stored. Cool.

Which is the least you should expect out of a *software* company.

 

[Louis Cyphre]

In case of confusion, I've merged two similar threads. Some posts may be anachronistic.

Maybe I'm the only one but I had to search what anachronistic meant. To everyone else please don't take that ID.

 

[prinz_valium]

I really don't think that's what they're saying. It's quite possible many old games may do things that cannot figure out workarounds for. For example, the two most obvious might be leaderboards and matchmaking. Perhaps some of these old games have code that break under the new system. But these aren't Sony's games, not to mention they're long ago printed to plastic. Basically, Sony's just saying that name changes may break older games and they're doing their best to ensure as many work as possible.

Legacy systems are a nightmare, period. Any massive change like this to an ecosystem as large, as old, and as wide spread as PSN would be difficult.

But that's how those games are implemented into PSN.
This is no problem at all with Xbox or Steam for example no mater how old the game is. They just handle that stuff differently. That's the point.

 

[30yearsofhurt]

Calling FaintColt388301. It's time to smash some butt again.

 

[jrolson]

$10 for a name change? LMAF!

 

[bitbydeath]

I'm surprised they can't just create a new unique identifier and instead are implementing their solution through what I imagine is the latest dev kit :-/

 

[autoduelist]

But that's how those games are implemented into PSN.
This is no problem at all with Xbox or Steam for example no mater how old the game is. They just handle that stuff differently. That's the point.

You're missing my point though. Changing anything that touches legacy systems can create a myriad of issues. This is true for any system, including steam and ms. Sure, you can change names there. That's fine. But at some point, for some reason, sony decided not to let users change thier name. It could have been an oversight, it could have been an Executives misguided business decision, it could have been a mistake by a employee. But once that decision is buried in a decade's worth of Legacy code, it's not easy to fix. This is true for any company. Just because some other companies didn't make this particular mistake doesn't mean they didn't make their own mistakes. that fixing this may break older games is not surprising. If you look at any of the old threads on this you'll see people like me pointing out that leaderboards and matchmaking in older games could break. Those were educated guesses based on experience with similar problems.

 

[20cent]

Took only how long? 10 years? Pathetic.

BOOOOH if you don't embrace the news with over-excitement and blind admiration for the "incredible work they accomplished" you are just a troll and a hater. Just be happy, bro.

 

[Deleted member 740922]

BOOOOH if you don't embrace the news with over-excitement and blind admiration for the "incredible work they accomplished" you are just a troll and a hater. Just be happy, bro.

He could always have a hissy fit and request his account gets deleted like that one in the Forza Horizon 4 thread because of those nasty Sony fans.

 

[TimFL]

Free the first time? I've been on XBL since day one and it wouldn't let me change my gamertag without a fee. Hadn't ever changed it prior.

They changed it years ago with one of the 360 dashboard updates. Prior to that you could pick a name during account creation, after that you got a randomly generated one with the option to change it for free. That free name change offer did not apply to old accounts that got to choose their name.

 

[Whitecrow]

And that guy could have fixed it then too.

What is your problem?

The whole PSN was built around that mistake. It's at its core. And modify it sure may be a gigantic task.
Deal with it.

 

[YoshiMax]

I guess it's difficult if they have digital titles associated with them, how do you ensure they retain ownership of those?

If the account has been inactive for x number of years you write it into the T&C’s that it’s fair game for being scrubbed which is awkward when you’ve run the system Sony has for this long. Forethought and planning clearly weren’t high on the agenda when psn went live.

 

[FranXico]

If the account has been inactive for x number of years you write it into the T&C’s that it’s fair game for being scrubbed which is awkward when you’ve run the system Sony has for this long. Forethought and planning clearly weren’t high on the agenda when psn went live.

This is known.

 

[Foxbat]

Making pro consumer changes is a good thing, so I'll give Sony that.

However.... This such a basic feature that I'd question anyone who applauds them for this. Imagine if Samsung TV's had never come with a remote. If they announced that "Remotes are coming with every new TV starting in 2019"... Would anyone be impressed?

 

[FranXico]

Making pro consumer changes is a good thing, so I'll give Sony that.

However.... This such a basic feature that I'd question anyone who applauds them for this. Imagine if Samsung TV's had never come with a remote. If they announced that "Remotes are coming with every new TV starting in 2019"... Would anyone be impressed?

I think everybody's stance on this is "FFS, it's about time". I don't see any rational people actually applauding them for fixing broken things.

 

[sublimit]

"However, please note not all games and applications for PS4, PS3 and PS Vita systems are guaranteed to support the online ID change, and users may occasionally encounter issues or errors in certain games. "

Oh my God this is going to be a mess. Thankfully i'm ok with my current name. But even if i wasn't i would have been very afraid to change it.

 

[xrnzaaas]

Finally. I'm fine with only the first name change being free, I don't need more. If someone wants to change their ID regularly they may as well pay Sony for it.

I just hope it won't break any older PS4 games that use the ID in the game.

 

[D7im]

It’s about time

 

[SLoWMoTIoN]

Making pro consumer changes is a good thing, so I'll give Sony that.

However.... This such a basic feature that I'd question anyone who applauds them for this. Imagine if Samsung TV's had never come with a remote. If they announced that "Remotes are coming with every new TV starting in 2019"... Would anyone be impressed?

We don't even have proper voice chat in the latest Nintendo console. Such a basic feature my Ps Vita does better. Apple is BARELY doing wireless charging. EITHER WAY it was something people have requested for years and they are happy about it so yeah.

Oh my God this is going to be a mess. Thankfully i'm ok with my current name. But even if i wasn't i would have been very afraid to change it.

Change it during the beta, check your ps vita. If its broken revert back to LimitSub

 

[theclaw135]

Nothing wrong with my PSN name, but maybe it's outdated. Lum has been displacing the claw in recent years. (the latter is actually much newer though, I made it up in the 1990s.)

 

[TGO]

Great for people who stupidly choose a shitty name.
But